Tuesday, April 7, 2009

100 things

When I was seven I counted to 100. My dad recorded each number in his slanting chaotic script. It was the first of a dozen accomplishment in this life -- it's been slow going. The other day I started saying the number 100 in my head over and over again when I realized that certain things, upon reaching 100 are accomplishments by themselves. Some of the things I was thinking about: 100 post cards, 100 prints of one certain size, 100 push ups(100 days in a row, yeah, beetch!), 100 seedlings, 100 houses, 100 miles, etc.

I guess the nice thing about 100 is that it maintains a certain childhood innocence as a "big number." Sometime in high school I learned that 100 dollars wasn't as much as I thought it was. And 100 people was a crowd, but not a huge one. In this inflationary culture when we're working our way from the gigabyte billions to the terabyte trillions the lowly 100 is very^10 small. However, an individual with only two hands one mouth and two feet can still approach 100 as a truly monumental task.

I won't promise to do any of the things on my 100 list right now; I'd be working towards 100 things I didn't do, maybe in 100 days.

Friday, April 3, 2009

boredom

I'm running at 55mph these days, you know, the limit in times of scarcity. I mentor trouble teens, teach them photography and now I'm working on a short movie. Idle hands are the devil's playthings(or whatever). I have a lot to offer, so it's sort of like I'm the very popular guy, everybody wants to participate in what I'm doing. But they're all teens, and our relationship is, by nature, prescribed by the mentor/menti, or teacher/student boundaries. That's a good thing and necessary for that part of my life, but I'm feeling a lack in the other. All of my creativity is going into work. That's okay, but when work is bounded by very strict laws about privacy, rules about intimacy and establishing good boundaries, well, I'm limited. And without creative relationships outside of work, I'm stuck.

So, I'm looking for a friend who wants to work on a project. Something big, something huge, ambitious and over-grand. Someone who can withstand my stony-faced disregard, ignore my whining and self-loathing, someone, anyone, who can keep up.

**this is not an equal-opportunity offer, applicants must be male, or of male persuasion and be between 5'9" and 6'1". Applicant much not work with teenagers or children, must enjoy working in silence, and performing manual labor. Applicants must have better musical taste than me and be able to provide musical entertainment when required. Attractive applicants are desired, though not too attractive, you know, cute, or hunky, but not so drop-dead gorgeous that you outshine me. Applicants must enjoy beer and liquor, but not drink too much because the last thing I need is a co-dependent. Smokers are acceptable, as long your brand isn't Camels, though, with cigarettes the price they are maybe you should quit, we could buy ink and paper for the price of those cigarettes, I mean, come on, eight dollars a pack. Applicants should be C++CAD. Applicants must furnish proof that they have spent some time in a mental health facility. Applicants must not wear green. Applicants must have a cool haircut. Please send application with a self-address stamped envelope to:

Friend c/o
Clayton Salem
6 Main St
Apt 4
Greenfield, Ma 01301
literate and have familiarity with